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Siege
Episode 2, Season 4, of War. Siege Shadowsong had never been in so much pain in her life. Even when she and Gorsefur had been stuck in FireClan. That was pain endured together, pain that ended. But this was something she knew would only end in her drawing one last breath. Thundercloud had drawn a line of fire in her fur and left it there to burn. The blood hadn't seemed to stop flowing. As she'd lain there, in shock, for the first few moments, she tried to keep it in. But then the pain had come and it had become about not screaming. Somewhere along the way, she had blissfully lost consciousness. She always thought when death came, she wanted to stare it in the eye and know it had blinked first. But she was grateful for the dulling of the pain, though it still roared at the edge of her troubled dreams. Every now and then she thought she heard a voice. Brookfall's whispers of encouragement, which brought a fresh surge of determination to fight. Grayleaf's nervous muttering which brought waves of doubt. Gorsefur's promises and Adderscar's clinical observations. But never the one voice she longed to hear. Was Oakclaw dead? If he was, Thundercloud hadn't been the one to kill him, and she could at least be happy about that. Even though she knew Thundercloud hadn't been anywhere near the golden tom before he attacked her, it didn't stop the nightmares. Nightmares and pain. That was her world now. How long did it take to die? I stretch, blinking open my eyes. Gorsefur sleeps across from me and I see Riverkit has somehow managed to perch on his head and fall asleep there. I roll my eyes and, as has become custom, look to my right to make sure Shadowsong is still breathing. She is. For now. I yawn and get to my paws, shaking out the moss that clings to my fur. Gorsefur blinks open his eyes and raises his head, yelping in surprise as Riverkit tumbles down his neck. Somehow, the little kit is still asleep. Gorsefur shoots me a sheepish smile and my whiskers twitch. Grayleaf is also still asleep. He looks exhausted, even asleep. If it weren't for the little medicine cat's actions, Shadowsong would be dead by now. For the past three days he hasn't slept, basically keeping her alive. He swears her heart stopped once. With the amount of blood she's lost, we don't know if she'll be okay. But Grayleaf swears that her blood will come back, she just needs to keep breathing and rest. The last thing he heard before he finally collapsed was Gorsefur telling him that Silverflower couldn't have done better. "What's the plan for today?" I ask, still yawning a little. "I think they need reinforcements by the Barracks." I nod. FireClan has been laying siege to WaterClan Main for five days. After we solved the food problem by sneaking out small hunting parties, it became a simple border war. If the border was around our Main Camp. And both sides were incredibly desperate. "Did Oakclaw come in last night?" I ask, softly. Gorsefur shakes his head, looking pained. "Not even to sleep. I don't know where he is, but last I heard, he was massacring them by the Market." I stand and shoot a look at Shadowsong again. She still looks strong, just...younger. More innocent. I wonder, not for the first time, if she can hear us. If she wonders what's happening, where Oakclaw is. I pad over. "Shadowsong, I don't know if you're listening, but it's me. Brookfall," I clarify. "Gorsefur and I are going out, and Riverkit and Grayleaf are here. But Briarclaw will be guarding you, so you're in capable paws. I'll look for Oakclaw, but he's kind of...raging. So, you better be here when I get back, because I'm not really witty enough to be the tough she-cat in the group. Okay?" I stand, feeling slightly self-conscious. Gorsefur waits for me and we leave together. "That was sweet," he remarks. "I guess I still am a helpless romantic. You think Oakclaw can wake her up with a lick?" I mean for the words to come out lightly, but they're loaded with bitterness. Gorsefur stops and looks me in the eye. "We're going to live. We're going to force them back and we're going to live." "I never said-" "You don't have to," Gorsefur meows and I feel a little shiver crawl up my spine. I guess we do know each other better than I thought. "Brookfall, we'll get through this." "And until then?" I can't help but challenge, chin held high. "Until then?" he closes his eyes, then grins, opening them. "Bet I can beat you to the Barracks." "Please." He takes off and I give him three seconds before following. I easily overtake him and I hear him purr. We slow as we reach the Barracks and I brace myself for the shrieks and caterwauls. They come, and even though it's been five days, there's no sense of tiredness. We weave through the dens, where wounded cats screech and newer soldiers crouch, looking terrified. And then it's the front lines- which are the only lines, to be honest. Cats grapple, yowling and tumbling. Gorsefur takes a deep breath by me, and crouches, ready to pounce into the battle. "Gorsefur!" I shout, a streak of gold catching my eye. Gorsefur stands and blinks, then charges into battle. I follow, dancing between enemies. Gorsefur manages to make it there first and he tackles the huge FireClan tom. I skid to a halt by the lump of golden fur, shaking it furiously. Oakclaw's baleful golden eyes gleam up at me. "Yes?" I am aghast. "You almost just died, and you're asking me-" "It's not exactly the first time in the past few days, okay?" he stands, shaking out his fur. The dried blood catches my eye and he sighs. "It's not mine. Mostly." I smack him and he goes down again, simply from shock. Gorsefur materializes again, blood splattering his coat. "Brookfall, did you at least count to ten?" Oakclaw gets up, wincing a little. "Look-" "No, you look," I meow furiously. "We have spent the past three days looking for you and do you know why? Because you are an idiot. You did the right thing and there is nothing you could've done to save Shadowsong. In fact, you probably would have made it worse for her by being there. When it comes to Thundercloud, you're not exactly Bravestar." Oakclaw looks at me with wide eyes and I lose myself in the rage, ignoring the battle, the shrieks. "For StarClan's sake, she could have died by now, and you'd never know because you're sulking! I mean, have you even slept in the past few days? No? Your Clan needs you and we need you, so what do you think you're doing trying to get yourself killed?" Oakclaw looks at me meekly and I huff, most of my anger spent. "Now, go to the den and sleep. If you're not there when I get back, sound asleep, I'm chewing off your tail. Literally and figuratively." Oakclaw opens his mouth, closes it, and skulks off. I huff again and Gorsefur looks impressed, "Not bad." A FireClan cat charges us and I turn, claws flashing. The tom reels back, a paw clutching his torn face. I turn back to Gorsefur. "I need to find nonviolent ways to relieve stress, yes?" Gorsefur nods, a little shocked. "We should probably, erm, you know..." Suddenly it's a little too hard to look away from his eyes. He stares at me too. Is it my imagination or are we closer? Are we- A FireClan cat barrels into him and I leap into action, chasing after the two snarling cats. Stormflight smacked the FireClan cat back into the ranks of the others. He thought he might be lucky and they'd tumble over the steep hill that was on their backs, but they snarled and advanced. He made a quick look behind him to see the medicine cat he had found still tending to the fallen warrior behind him. He had to distract the FireClan cats. He was also grateful to see reinforcements were racing in. He turned back and saw the three FireClan cats had surrounded him in a wide semicircle. He sized them up. Take out the small ones first, go for big and nasty when the time came. Feinting right, then rocketing left, he managed to headbutt one of the toms and was in the process of biting his shoulder when he was dragged off by the big tom. He yowled and struggled, but the big tom just growled. Finally, he managed to catch a claw in the big tom's neck. Feeling slightly sickened, he pulled. The tom dropped. He wasn't dead, but he was bleeding profusely. Stormflight straightened, panting. The reinforcements were almost there and he sighed. One more... The final warrior was hiding. Stormflight turned around, only to see the tom had snuck up behind him. Stormflight gave a yowl of fright, but it was too late. The tom smirked and pushed him down the hill. Stormflight churned the air frantically, but he was weightless and falling, falling... "We need to break the siege," "That's a winner plan," Adderscar says cuttingly. The tom who said it looked at his paws in shame. I'm only here because I have to get Adderscar to go talk to Gorsefur. Because apparently I'm a courier now. Of course, I don't want to interrupt the killer brainstorming session, so I just sit in the corner, awkwardly waiting for a chance to cut in. "I think we should line the perimeter with our dead. It'll drive them away." "Respectful and appropriate Fernface!" Adderscar looks at the den ceiling and silently moves his mouth, maybe praying to StarClan. "Erm," I meow, not really wanting to interrupt the certified geniuses. "This might sound stupid, but, do they know that Summerstorm fell?" There's a silence and Adderscar puts his head on his paws. "Outsmarted by a she-cat who confuses voles with wrens." "It's just, one swims and one..." I sigh. "Okay, so should I go get Gorsefur or someone...?" "No, Brookfall," he smirks slightly. "You're doing this. You're smart, sensible, and no offense, but expendable. To WaterClan anyways." "You're such a good friend." He looks almost sympathetic for a moment. "You'll try to reason with the highest ranking officer, and then we'll think of something." "Okay, so we can plan tomorrow..." "It has to be tonight," Adderscar's eyes are unreadable now. "Now." Stormflight was pretty sure he wasn't still rolling. Or if he was, maybe it was just his head. Maybe he was dead. But was StarClan really so...dizzy? He groaned and heaved himself to his paws. Nothing broken or sprained, at least. A branch cracked nearby and he froze, trying to clear his head and ignore all the random sores and aches on his body. Dark amber eyes peered at him from a bush, and slowly, a white she-cat padded out. She looked so nervous, so vulnerable, but it was the eyes that gave her away. Just like Oakclaw had described her. "Let me guess," he called. "Your sister's hurt and you need help?" She paused and for a moment, something terrible slid over her face. Not anger, not rage, just...nothing. It's her. He circled and she mirrored his movements, the two of them dancing around each other. "So what's your name? Is Snowflight real or fake?" She didn't even sneer. "I'm a she-cat of mystery." "Real, then," She tipped her head and surveyed him. "You're Stormflight, aren't you?" "I am a tom of mystery." He wanted to say she purred, even to humor him, but she just looked at him. "You are, then. That makes us practically siblings. Your father trained me. It's why I'm so dangerous." She sounded as though she was echoing the words. "No, you're dangerous because you trick cats and knock them on the back of the head like a coward," They were still circling and she shook her head. "Does it matter how you win as long as you win?" "I don't call killing cats winning," She didn't answer. "I'm guessing you don't either. I'm guessing you would rather just use your cute little tricks and manipulate cats than leave them dead. But you're FireClan, Thundercloud's little apprentice no less-" She lunged for him and he dodged, a twisted parody of a kit playfight. They were circling again, but faster, more frantic. Stormflight swiped and she darted away. And then they were at it. Rolling over and over in the dirt. Stormflight snarled and Snowflight simply looked almost...mournful. And then, Stormflight hit something. A rock, embedded in the soil. His head swam and Snowflight pinned him down. "I have to take you to Thundercloud now," she meowed. "You know that, don't you?" Stormflight tried to rise up, but suddenly her claws dug into his stomach. Not deep, but painful. He let out a yowl as she looked down at him. "You don't have to be like him," Stormflight gasped, his voice tight with pain. "Oakclaw told me you let him live- that's something, right?" She didn't answer, nothing in her eyes flickered. Stormflight gritted his teeth. "Come on, you can't be all bad, right? I mean, you know what Thundercloud will do. You might as well kill me." There was something in her dark amber eyes. But was she acting? Stormflight didn't trust her one bit, but if he couldn't fight he had to try and convince her. "Come on," he goaded. "Kill me." He gasped in pain as her claws gouged into him. Then they were gone, retracted. She stood and padded towards the end of the clearing. "What were you doing here?" She didn't turn. "Maybe I was looking for you." "Nice of you to let me go, though. I guess I was right." He knew he was being cocky, but he enjoyed it as she turned and stalked back to him. "Maybe I'm just enchanted by your good looks. Maybe I'm a bad she-cat who needs someone to see the light in her. Maybe I need you to love me and make the monster go away." she simpered. She was almost pretty when she acted. But there was always something in her eyes. "Or maybe I just want to make you trust me." She turned again and he thought, Two can play at this game. "Snowflight!" Despite herself, she turned. He grinned goofily. "It's a pretty name." She smiled sweetly. "I never said it was my real name." She disappeared into the brush and Stormflight sat, not noticing the thin line of blood coming from his shoulder. He still felt like the one who'd been played. "If I die, Riverkit-" "Gets to be raised as a peaceful, good child, yadda yadda." Adderscar meows. "Look, you're not going to die." "You don't know that!" He gives me a condescending look and I sigh. "You aren't certain." Another look. "Oh just shut up," I growl. The FireClan Base is out in the forest and Adderscar is the only cat I had been allowed to bring. And even he can't come with me to the final negotiations. We are greeted by glares from unfriendly enemies and waved through. Adderscar is stopped and he nods me on. I take a breath and head into the commander's den. I assume the commander is the burly, scarred ginger she-cat glaring at me. Which doesn't explain who the golden-brown she-cat is. "So...who am I talking to?" I meow uncertainly. The glden she-cat purrs. "Oh, my, they are sending amateurs." she nods at the commander. "You can leave us, Gingerclaw." The commander leaves, glaring at me the entire time. The golden she-act stretches and sits. "So. I don't really care who you are. I'm Lionwing and I outclass everyone here by quite a bit, so watch your dainty little paws." I blink. "I'm here to negotiate-" "Oh, silly kitten," she purrs and I bristle. She can't even be a moon older than me. "There's no way Firestar will allow us to stop." I'm good at reading people. And I can hear the bitter edge in her voice. "But you want to? Sorry, you just don't strike me as the surrendering type." She purrs again. "Oh, you are a charm. No, but I...how shall I say?" her eyes narrow to amber slits. "Like to...play with my food before I eat it." "So you just want us to remain alive so you can pummel us in the future?" "Plus I want to watch EarthClan join in the fun," She catches my startled expression. "I know Summerstorm fell, though not many here do." "Okay..." I close my eyes. "Well, you should know, that WaterClan is not going to give up," I manage to meet her eyes without flinching. "There will be no 'playing' because you will be trying to save your own fur." She looks interested. Or amused. Or both. "My advice? Back off. You run the risk of us retaliating, but with EarthClan on the way?" I trail off. "Not very patriotic, are you?" she peers at me and I just pray she doesn't call my bluff. I shrug. "I call them like I see them." "Taking a leaf out of Badgerstrike's book?" her eyes glint maliciously. "Jumping Clans?" It takes every ounce of willpower I have not to smack her, but I meet her eyes. "Ask me again in a quarter moon." She purrs and sighs. "Well kitten, I can't break the siege. Firestar will not allow it." I deflate inside. "Buuuut, I am, as some would say, a tad rebellious. And Firestar stuck me out here managing prison breaks." she sighed. "So I will call off my warriors. You're welcome." I nod, remembering Adderscar's biggest piece of advice: don't thank them. Then it hits. The prison break. I can't lose it, not here, not now. But I turn. "That she-cat you almost killed with Thundercloud...she'll be alright," I inform her. "You didn't manage to kill anyone." Her eyes flash and she does actually look interested now. "That's...unfortunate." But she doesn't mean it. Why is she happy? Puzzling over this, I pad out of the den, over to Adderscar, and save my shriek of joy for when we enter Main. Watching the FireClan forces pull back may have been the happiest day of my life. "I did that," I tell Gorsefur over and over. "When elders tell the story of the war, I will be responsible for breaking the siege on WaterClan Main that could have killed everyone." "Okay, just don't let it get to your head- too late." he smiled and I laughed, almost hysterical with joy. Shadowsong will recover. Oakclaw finally slept. I broke the siege. Today is a pretty good day. Gorsefur holds Riverkit up on his head, my little brother cheering as the FireClan cats march away. Category:Artimas Hunter's Fanfics